Hanif Marzuki Mohd Saupi believes that passion alone is insufficient in the rapidly changing economic landscape, emphasising the need for local youths to be resourceful and driven to excel. Together with Aniq Amrez, Miera Azahar, and Hafiz “Do’Bong” Zur Ain, he co-founded Youth Ventures Asia. This organisation serves as a plug-and-play youth development ecosystem, offering a secure environment for passionate youths to explore entrepreneurship.
Youth Ventures has collaborated with over 40 public and private institutions, including Politeknik Mersing, USIM, MMU, UM, IMU, and UTeM, to create accelerators aimed at assisting graduates and researchers in launching and commercialising their ideas and projects. They also facilitate connections between agencies like MaGIC (MRANTI), Cyberview, IRDA and corporations such as CelcomDigi, The Star, and Paragon International with ambitious young individuals.
Youth Ventures also manages Lorong Belakang, a weekly street market run by youths in Cyberjaya, attracting substantial foot traffic, boasting numerous vendors, and creating an impact on the community. This initiative provides cost-effective market access for young entrepreneurs and offers Cyberjaya students valuable work experience.
Recognised for their exceptional community-building efforts, Youth Ventures was awarded “The Most Active Community Builder in Asia for 2022” at the Origin Innovator Award by TechNode. They are also actively involved in organising events like the Entrepreneurship World Cup Malaysian 2022 and serving as the local chapter for A-Hub Accelerator 2023 in Malaysia and Indonesia.
As a student entrepreneur, Hanif previously co-founded Qtix, a mobile integrated queue management system, and participated in the MaGIC Accelerator Program (MAP). He also contributed to StartupMalaysia as a Lead Trainer, educating young individuals on Design Thinking, Lean Startup, and Innovation before the pandemic. Additionally, he volunteered as a Facilitator for StartupWeekend, a Techstars startup immersion program.
Making an impact is like when the Avengers work together to save the world from Thanos. If they don’t do it, half of the population will be gone. If they want to do it, they need to work together and sacrifice themselves for the greater good.